Shotgun recommendations for Wisconsin upland?
- Thread starter knight
- Start date
Indigo22
Well-known member
My Dads 12Ga side by side was a heavy beast but did well afield. I borrowed a 20 Ga for a couple outings that was much easier to tote around. But I settled on a 410 for upland game. Did everything I asked it to.
There are a lot of decent shotguns out there, as well as some very pricey pieces of junk. Over the years I have owned all the aforementioned shotguns. I have boiled my shotgun inventory down to two, both Remington's. The first, which I very highly recommend is the Remington 11/87 12 gauge 3 inch. It interchangeably shoots trap loads up to heavy Turkey and Waterfowl loads reliably. It has REMCHOKE tubes that allow for shooting just about any and all different types of game at any range. My second is a Remington 1100 20 ga. Mine is older, 2 3/4 inch only and has a Skeet Barrel and is a very good skeet gun. Newer 1100's or 11/87s in 3 inch with REMCHOKE tubes would again be an all around winner. I would not recommend any of the other Remington shotguns, with the exception of the 870 which is a go to for a pump action. Personally I much prefer the semi auto due to the lighter recoil. Keep in mind that a fancy/expensive shotgun is not going to shoot any better than a good lest costly one. I've been there, Browning, Benelli to name a few and found the Remington's shoot better, are easier to care for and there is no difference in the range but a big difference in reliability.
Since you mentioned walking all day, sticking with the 20-gauge is the move. The reduced weight of the gun and the shells will save your shoulder and back by the end of the day. Modern 20-gauge shells deliver plenty of punch for pheasants, especially with the right choke. If you're looking for lighter, smoother semi-autos that are purpose-built for field carry, check out something like the Benelli Ethos or the Franchi Affinity (both 20-gauge), they use inertia-driven systems that are lighter and run cleaner than gas systems, and if you want to keep the budget down, a pump like the Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 in 20-gauge is a reliable workhorse you can beat up in the brush..either way, you'll be set
Interesting that you went all the way down to .410! That's definitely the lightest option, do you find it limiting on range, or does staying closer make up for it?
The 11-87 keeps coming up in my research, and it sounds like you've tried enough high-end stuff to know what actually performs. The semi-auto for recoil management makes sense for all-day walking too...Great breakdown
